When relocating to Abu Dhabi you may need to ship some of your possessions from home, either by air or by sea. Air freight is fast but expensive, so a good option if you only have smaller amounts. Gulf Air and Etihad have dedicated handling departments and fly direct to Abu Dhabi from multiple global destinations.

For a larger consignment then shipping by sea is comparatively cheap, although it can take longer (on average, six weeks from UK to Abu Dhabi).

There are removal companies that can help with shipping your things and it’s often best, and safest, to opt for one with a wide international network as they will have a local contact in both your departure and arrival destinations. It’s important to check that any removals company is not only competent in the country of origin, but that they have reliable agents in the country to which you are shipping your personal goods to, if they don’t handle this part of the move themselves. Most companies offer free quotes, so make sure you shop around.

On arrival
Once your belongings arrive in Abu Dhabi and are ready to be collected you’ll be notified by phone or letter. Some agencies carry out the customs clearing process for you, but even then you may be called to be present while customs officers open your boxes to ensure nothing illegal or inappropriate (such as banned DVDs or books) is being brought into the country.

If your removal company is not taking your things on to your new home from there, you can find small removal companies advertising in the classified sections of the local paper. However, it can be cheaper to head to the car park next door to Central Post Office in Al Danah (formerly Madinat Zayed). Drivers with small trucks wait to transport goods for a fee (be sure to negotiate), although you’ll need to pack your own goods and they won’t be insured by the drivers during transport, so you’ll want to pack them with extra care.